News

PhotoFiddle.com allows visitors to upload pictures on their computers and transform
the image into a watercolor, pop art, collage, oil painting, and many other
artistic treatments. The image can then be ordered for home delivery as a stretched
piece of artwork on museum-quality canvas. The artwork is even delivered with
a pair of white gloves included so as to not damage the delicacy of the final
work. There are various framing options and sizes available, making photographs
that have been "PhotoFiddled" a unique gift.

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dotPhoto has announced www.dotPhoto.com, a comprehensive multimedia and photo-sharing
site, which is said to automatically build communities for consumer photographers
by providing a forum where they share life's stories through their images.
The new dotPhoto.com has a redesigned `unified interface' that makes
it easy to access its features, such as My dotPhoto, My Albums, My Shows, My
Projects, and My Web Site. Other options include community photo sharing with
Top Picks, and merchandising opportunities with unique, theme-based products.
There are also in-depth, easy-to-use editing tools work on both Macs and PCs.

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Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) announced an update to the public
beta of Adobe Lightroom, an all-new digital imaging workflow solution for professional
photographers that allows them to import, select, develop and showcase large volumes
of images. The latest version adds features suggested by beta testers that allow
greater control over export size and resolution, refined metadata selection with
print output and RGB value readouts for greater editing precision.



New to the Develop module are Before and After preview tools and History features
that allow a photographer to quickly preview and track changes, more control over
the size and resolution of exported photos. A new dedicated Web module provides
a rich web content editing experience and live previews of HTML and Flash output.
Other features include resolution control in the Export module, an additional
Straighten tool to correct camera angle issues, Keyword import and export, the
ability to save module settings with collections or shoots. Auto Import or Hot
Folder support allows photographers to automatically add images to the Lightroom
Library from a specified directory.



"We'd like to thank our early beta testers, and encourage more user
participation in helping us build a final product that best serves photographers'
unique needs," said Dave Story, vice president of product development for
Digital Imaging at Adobe. "We will build upon the success of the public
beta program with the release of a Windows version this summer."



With its modular and task-based environment, Lightroom beta delivers tools for
a complete photography workflow. Leveraging industry-leading Adobe Camera Raw
3.4 technology, Lightroom now supports over 120 native raw file formats. New camera
models supported by this beta are Canon EOS 30D, Epson R-D1s, Leaf Aptus 65 and
Aptus 75, Olympus EVOLT E-330 and SP-320, Pentax *ist DL2 and Samsung GX-1S. Once
images are imported, they can be showcased via slideshows, complete with music,
as well as drop shadows, borders, Identity Plates and different colored backgrounds.



During Lightroom's public beta period modules and features will be added
or changed based on the necessity and priority within digital photography workflows.



Lightroom beta 3.0 for Macintosh OSX Tiger (10.4.3), a universal binary application
that runs on both Power PC and Intel Macs, is available for free download from
the Adobe Labs Web site at http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/lightroom.


Recommended system requirements are Macintosh OSX 10.4.3, 1 GHz PowerPC G4 processor,
768 MB RAM and 1024x768 resolution screen. The final shipping version will be
released in late 2006. A Windows version of Lightroom beta will be available for
download this summer. Further details around pricing, system requirements and
availability have yet to be determined.
...

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Those of you who are regular readers of Shutterbug and visitors to shutterbug.com
know that our magazine and website offer more than comprehensive product reviews
and in-depth instructional tutorials for advanced amateur and professional photographers.
While our primary mission is to enhance your techniques and help you make informed
purchasing decisions, our printed and electronic products also represent a vibrant
photographic community where you can view the work of notable photographers,
gain insight from Editor George Schaub and our popular columnists, communicate
with one another through our forums, and even post your own images on our galleries.

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Epson America, Inc. has introduced the Epson PowerLite S4 -- a multi-purpose
3LCD projector in the sub-$700 category. Designed for on-the-go presenters, classroom
instructors and home users, the Epson PowerLite S4 projects presentations and
virtually all other forms of video content in up to 1,800 ANSI lumens of brightness
and SVGA (800 x 600) native resolution. Priced at $699 (estimated street price),
this 5.7-pound projector is easily transportable and features Epson technologies
that are designed to make setup and shut-down procedures as quick and trouble-free
as possible.



The Epson PowerLite S4 is designed to help reduce pre-presentation jitters and
stress on end users with unique, time-saving setup and shutdown features. The
projector's power-on verification tone gives presenters immediate assurance
that their projector is running the moment they press the on/off button, and just
four seconds later, the projector already begins to display an image. In addition,
the Epson PowerLite S4 automatically recognizes and adapts to video signals coming
from virtually all types of computers and video devices. And upon conclusion of
a presentation, Epson's Instant Off feature saves presenters even more time
and reduces further hassles by enabling them to turn off, unplug and pack up the
projector immediately and safely without a cool-down period.



The Epson PowerLite S4's 170-watt lamp produces 1,800 ANSI lumens of brightness
for vibrant, clear viewing of big screen images, even in well-lit rooms. It also
offers seven selectable color modes that are pre-programmed and optimized to enhance
image quality when connected to various video devices. Depending on the selected
application, users can choose color modes such as presentation, theater, gaming,
and even a photo mode with black-and-white enhancement levels to show off highlights
in photographs.



Epson 3LCD technology is a solid-state optical engine that works without a moving
color wheel, resulting in accurate color registration, detailed video and data
images that are crisp and rainbow-free.



The Epson PowerLite S4 is now available through national retailers, pro audio/visual
dealers, mail order, and PC resellers. Epson's PowerLite projectors come
with a two-year limited warranty that includes three elite technical support services
-- two-year Epson PrivateLine availability, two-year Road Service Program
and two-year International Warranty. Through the PrivateLine, projector owners
can directly access an expedited support telephone line by using a phone card
that is included with the product.



www.epson.com...